OTT content in India stays beyond censor board's reach, says I&B ministry

OTT content in India will continue to remain outside the jurisdiction of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). This clarification was provided by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on December 17, 2025, reaffirming that digital content is regulated separately under existing Information Technology rules.

The CBFC, established under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, is responsible for certifying films for public exhibition, but its authority does not extend to content on OTT platforms. Instead, these platforms are governed by the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Under these rules, OTT platforms must comply with a Code of Ethics that requires them to avoid making available any content prohibited by law. Additionally, platforms must provide an age-based classification of their content in accordance with these guidelines.

To oversee compliance and address content-related concerns, the IT Rules have set up a three-tier institutional mechanism. This structure is aimed at ensuring content standards are



maintained and that public grievances are addressed effectively.

The three-tier mechanism consists of self-regulation at the publisher level as the first tier. Each OTT platform is required to implement its own self-regulation measures to monitor and control the content it provides.

The second tier involves self-regulation by independent bodies formed by the publishers themselves. These self-regulatory bodies are expected to review grievances that are not resolved at the individual platform level.

The third tier brings in an oversight mechanism managed by the central government. This level is designed to ensure that issues not resolved at the previous stages receive appropriate attention from national authorities.

According to the Ministry, grievances regarding OTT content are first directed to the concerned OTT platforms for resolution under the Level-I redressal mechanism. This information was submitted by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan in response to parliamentary questions on the regulatory landscape for digital media.